Ever attempt to make your own tortillas? I have—it’s relatively easy, especially compared to making loaves of sourdough, crafting croissants, or other more complex bakery goods. And, not to brag or anything, but they turned out pretty delicious, if not as pretty as the ones that the professionals make.

It’s actually not lack of skill (again, no braggies) that keeps me from making my own—rather, it’s lack of time, and perhaps energy, that’s among the main reasons I keep reaching for CPG tortillas and wraps and leave my tortilla press in the cabinet.

Another reason: versatility, an appealing trait mentioned by multiple producers I talked to for this year’s State of the Industry: Tortillas coverage. I heartily agree—I’ve made many meals with tortillas and topped them with goodies outside the expected taco and burrito fillings. Also, on the hard drive of a long-dead laptop somewhere in my office, I have the beginnings of a taco cookbook with dozens of recipes both sweet and savory. A favorite is Greek chicken tacos, which just involves tortillas, chunks of white meat (great use for leftovers), and topped with tomato, onion, cucumber, and Tzatziki sauce. Another is “apple pie tacos”—take flour tortillas, brown them in a little butter, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, then add either fresh apple slices or pie filling. One friend once used a wee tortilla as a blanket in a fun gingerbread display for the holidays—I have a REAL tortilla blanket, which isn’t edible but more practical for actual humans.

Credit: Marinela Malcheva via CreatasVideos+ / GettyImagesPlus

Tortillas aren’t alone in their incredible versatility—pick any article in this issue and you’ll find products that can play many different parts in a potential meal. Use sweet Hawaiian rolls to cheat on making your own Boston crème doughnuts, for example (try this recipe here on for size). Use a biscuit cutter to make a hole in a piece of bread and fry an egg in the center for what my Dad called “framed eggs.” Crumble your favorite granola or protein bar over a bowl of low-sugar ice cream for a BFY-yet-decadent dessert.

Photo: Jenni Spinner

As someone who loves to cook but often finds herself short on time, I appreciate the delicious shortcuts baked products can provide. Do you have any such recipes that demonstrate the versatility of baked goods? I’d love to hear them and try them out. Please email me your recipes and ideas to spinnerj@bnpmedia.com. Thanks for reading!